Calling Alexio a flight risk, judge denies release

A federal judge ordered former world kickboxing champion Dennis Alexio to remain in federal custody Monday in his theft, tax fraud and money laundering case until he can be placed in a halfway house.

U.S. District Judge Michael Seabright overruled a decision by a federal magistrate judge last week allowing Alexio to be released on an unsecured $25,000signature bond. Federal prosecutors appealed the magistrate judge’s ruling.

Seabright said he had concerns that Alexio poses a flight risk. He said that in previous cases Alexio failed to appear in court in California and did not respond to a grand jury subpoena in Virginia.

Alexander Silvert, first assistant federal public defender, said he did not know when space will be available at the Mahoney Hale halfway house.

Alexio, 54, is being held at the federal detention center.

Alexio and his wife, Anita­lei, were charged in a federal indictment last month with filing fraudulent tax returns and converting hundreds of thousands of dollars in undeserved refunds into cashier’s checks to prevent the government from reclaiming the money. Alexio is also charged with helping another woman file a false tax return claiming a $221,369 refund.

His trial is scheduled for Jan. 22.